218 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



the New Almaclen Mine, {Aragotite) by Mr. Durand. A section of 

 a species of Cactus, from the desert southeast of San Bernardino, 

 by Dr. Henry Gibbons, who remarked , that from experiments made 

 in the Eastern States, it had proved to be a material of superior 

 quaUty for the manufacture of paper. 



Description of a New Mineral from the New Almaden Mine. 



BY F. E. DURAND. 



This mineral, of a very bright, pure, yellow color, is found impregnating a 

 crystalline siliceous dolomite ; it can be very easily separated from the dolomite 

 by sublimation. In warming in a glass tube a small amount of the substance, it 

 volatilizes when dark red, and gives a strong, yellow sublimate that appears 

 amorphous, but which, when under the microscope, shows some very fine needle- 

 like crystals. 



If heated very quickly, it carbonizes and gives a residue of carbon, and pro- 

 duces an empyreumatic odor. Strong acids have no action upon it. 



When tested for sulphur or arsenic, it does not appear to contain any trace of 

 these substances ; nor any metal. 



This mineral seems to be a kind of volatile hydro-carbon, probably belong- 

 ing to the class of Idrialine. 



When treated by the ordinary solvents of carburetted compounds — oil of tur- 

 pentine, alcohol, or ether — it appears to be entirely insoluble. 



On some specimens of cinnabar from the Redington mine, the same substance 

 is found in small scales. In fact, all the characters show that this mineral is a 

 new substance, and for it, I have adopted the name of Aragotite. 



Remarks were made by Dr. Henry Gibbons, in reference to 

 Ozone, and by Dr. Blake, in connection Avith experiments made by 

 him some time ago to ascertain the proportion thereof in the atmos- 

 phere. 



A letter, was read from Admiral B. F. Sands, in reply to a com- 

 munication of the Academy, in reference to governmental action 

 in the matter of the observation of the transit of Venus, etc. (See 

 Meeting of March 4th, ante.) 



